Seven Meadows Swim
Team (SMST)
Parent Handbook (2017 Season)
1 Introduction
Welcome to the Seven Meadows Swim Team! If this is your first experience with a summer swim
team, we hope this handbook helps to answer your questions and provides the information you’ll
need to enjoy being a Sailfish!
The SMST (Seven Meadows Swim Team) is managed by the Board of Directors. Some of the
BOD responsibilities include hiring coaches, determining registration fees, maintaining equipment
and recruiting volunteers.
Swimming is a healthy, competitive sport. The main goal of a summer swim team is to maximize
participation by all children and provide an environment where children of all talents can have fun
and feel like they have contributed to the team’s success. Summer swim teams also strive to
develop quality swimmers, instill team pride, sportsmanship and respect for others.
The SMST is 1 of 31 swim teams in the West Houston Aquatics Leagues (WHALe). The WHALe
league organized the summer swim program. They designed it to enhance the popularity of
swimming and provide competition between communities in the West Houston area. The WHALe
league divides the 31 teams into 6 divisions based on team size. Based on our team size, the SMST
will be in Division 3.
When a child joins a swim team, so do the parents. This sport requires parents to be participants,
not just spectators! It takes so many people to run a successful swim meet that there is literally a
job for everyone. Training for some jobs takes only a few minutes; others require attendance at
clinics. Please make sure that your family works at least the required amount of volunteer shifts
per season. SMST is requiring 2 volunteer positions per registered swimmer with a maximum of 5
positions for a family.
Registration
Registration will be done online for eligible Seven Meadows residents. Please visit the SMST
site (https://smstsailfish.swimtopia.com) for additional information and registration dates. The
registration fee is $115 for the first swimmer and $110 for additional siblings. It is $70 for Junior
Helpers.
Note: Eligible swimmers 13-18 years old can apply for a Junior Helper position. See online
application during Registration.
Refund Policy
After registration and payment, there is a No Refund Policy. The exception would be for
swimmers that do not qualify for the team. After one week in the water, swimmers will need to be
able to swim freestyle, unassisted, across one lap (25 yards) to qualify for the team (swimmers 11
and up have to be able to swim two laps, 50 yards). We are not providing swim
lessons. Swimmers need to know how to swim before joining the team. Swim practice will focus
on conditioning, technique and stroke drills to make the swimmers faster.
2 Parent Meeting
There will be a mandatory parent meeting(s) in the Seven Meadows Club House prior to
registration. Please see the SMST site for date and time. Coaches and the Board of Directors will
be present to answer any questions and to give a brief presentation regarding the upcoming season.
Team Communication
Follow the Seven Meadows Sailfish on our website and Facebook. Also, please sign up for the
REMIND communication tool (visit the SMST site for additional information).
REMIND is a tool that is used to communicate out the most up to date information about all things
SMST, including sudden delays, time changes, or cancellations of practice.
Team Photos
The entire Sailfish swim team will be photographed on picture day. Please see the SMST site for
date and time. On picture day please arrive on time and wear your team suit. Please DO NOT get
wet until after your individual and team photo have been taken.
Equipment Needed
Suits: Team swim suits are mandatory. New swim suits are not required every year. We get a
new design every two years. These should be worn at the swim meets only, to save wear and tear
on the suits. For practices, it is mandatory for girls to wear one piece suits. Boys will be allowed to
wear swim shorts; however, briefs or jammers are encouraged. You can purchase your team suit at
A-Gleam Swim and Sport. Tell them you are with the SMST, as they have our suit on file. Boys
have the option to wear the jammer or brief style.
A-Gleam Swim and Sport
414 West Grand Parkway South #120
832-437-0362
http://a-gleam.com/
Caps:
Your swimmer can choose to wear a cap that reflects their personal style. No wording/ drawing
with markers can been added to the swim caps other than the swimmer’s name. Swim caps are
highly encouraged (especially for girls or for swimmers with long hair) for practices but are not
mandatory.
Goggles:
Each swimmer will need 2 pairs of racing goggles. It is a good idea to keep an extra pair on hand
“just in case”.
3 Swim Practice
Location:
All practices are held at the Seven Meadows Gaston Pool. It is located at S. Fry Road and Gaston.
Procedures:
Swimmers should arrive 10 minutes before their designated age group practice begins.
Swimmers should report to the pool deck to meet the coaches, with all equipment needed for
practice (goggles, swim cap or hair tied back, etc.) No parents are allowed on the pool deck during
practice time.
Communication during practices:
Please refrain from speaking with the coaches during practice. 100% of their attention needs to be
focused on the swimmers in the water during practices. There will usually be a Board member at
the pool during all practices. If a question or concern arises, please direct this to a Board member,
not a coach.
Practice Schedule:
See the Practice Schedule on the SMST site for the schedule.
Supervision:
ONLY registered swimmers are allowed in the pool during swim team practices. Swimmers are
only allowed in the pool during their age group time. NO ONE is allowed in the baby pool. Our
coaches are responsible for coaching. They cannot babysit or chase swimmers who wander and
goof off. Parents are encouraged to attend practices to watch their children. All children that are
not in the swimming pool practicing should not be left in the pool area without their parent or adult
supervising them.
Cancelled Practice:
Various reasons can cause a practice to be cancelled, before or even during the practice. These can
include; thunder, lightning, water contamination or an insufficient number of coaches. If the
weather is questionable, please monitor the REMIND text or Facebook. We will try to make the
decision as early as possible to let everyone know of cancellations.
If a parent will not be staying with their swimmer during practice, the swimmer will need to know
what to do if practice is suddenly called off. Please discuss this possibility with your swimmer and
devise a plan. A Sailfish Coach or a Board member will stay with the swimmer until someone is
able to pick the swimmer up; however, it is the swimmer’s responsibility to approach the coach or
Board member for assistance. A swimmer who is not capable of calling the appropriate person for
pick up or who is not able to seek assistance from a coach or Board member, should not be at
practice without an adult.
Missing Practice:
It is not necessary to notify coaches if your child will miss practice during the first few weeks of
afternoon practice. We understand that other sports, school work, and end of the year activities will
4 overlap; however, our Green and White Meet, which will act as our time trials, are mandatory. If
you cannot make the Green and White Meet, you have to make special arrangements with the
Coach.
By this date, we ask that all swimmers show responsibility and respect when it comes to
participating in practices. The coaches have discretion to remove swimmers from events or an
entire meet if the coach feels absences are excessive. The Coach will have the final word on this
and it is not open for discussion.
Swim Meets:
Green and White Meet
This is our practice meet and is critical for getting both the swimmers and families “trained” and
ready for the first real meet. The meet will only be for SMST swimmers. Swimmers will be
randomly assigned to either the Green Team or the White Team. This meet will run very much like
a real meet. This meet will act as our TIME TRIALS. An official starter will be used and there are
timers in each lane. The swimmer’s time will be recorded for each event they swim. The coaches
will use this as their seed time to place all swimmers, according to speed, into the proper heat and
relays for the first dual swim meet. All 6 & U will swim freestyle and backstroke. All the other age
groups will swim freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly.
Dual Meets
Dual meets are competitive meets between the SMST and an opposing team in our Division.
Competitive swim meets are held for the enjoyment of the children. The meets help teach the
children good sportsmanship and discipline while helping to develop their competiveness. Prior to
each meet, our web site will provide details of warm-up and start times, directions, etc. The
coaches will make the decisions as to who will swim in what events.
Absence from Meet
If your swimmer will miss a meet; you must notify coaches directly by email at least 24 hours in
advance of the meet. Failure to do so could result in your child losing eligibility to swim in the
following meet and assessed a penalty fee. In the case where a true emergency/sickness occurs, a
doctor’s note will be required and no penalty is assessed.
Our team stresses responsibility and respect with this rule and we will stand by it. The coaches
spend a lot of time assigning swimmers to heats and relays. When an absence occurs, it leaves our
coaches working on “paperwork” at the meet instead of focusing on our swimmers in the water.
Absence from Meet Penalties
If a swimmer is signed up to swim and misses a meet, a $50 fee will be assessed immediately.
Failure to pay the fee before the next scheduled practice or within 48 hours of the missed meet will
result in your swimmer(s) not being able to participate in the next meet. Swimmers are also not
allowed to practice until fee is paid.
5 Payment can be made by check to SMST or on the SMST site, Merchandise tab (Penalty Fee
Item). Checks can be given to a Board member or dropped in the drop box to the right of the front
door of the Seven Meadows clubhouse.
Order of Events:
A 30 minute warm-up for each team will precede the meet. The host team will warm up first.
Freestyle Relay (6 & U is mixed; all other age groups are designated girl or boy.) Girls will go first
in every event.
Individual events: [6 & U, 7-8, 9-10 are 25 yd. (1 lap)] [11-12, 13-14, 15-18 are 50 yd. (2 laps)]
Freestyle Relay
Freestyle
Backstroke
IM (will begin 9-10 age groups)
Breast Stroke (will begin with the 7-8 age groups)
Butterfly (will begin with the 7-8 age groups)
Medley Relay (will begin with the 7-8 age groups)
**Note: 6 & U swimmers are finished swimming after backstroke and are allowed to leave when
that event is finished if their parent has completed their volunteer job. All other swimmers are
asked to stay until the end of the meet**
Swimmer Check In
We will have a check-in table at the entrance gate for all swimmers when they arrive for the meet.
A check-in clerk will be at the table to check swimmers in. All swimmers need to be checked in
45 minutes prior to warm ups. If your swimmer arrives past this point, he/she may be pulled
from their event(s).
Volunteering at a meet
As part of the Seven Meadows Swim team, each family is REQUIRED to volunteer for 2 positions
per registered swimmer up to a maximum of 5 positions per family. A family’s volunteer
commitment may be fulfilled by any adult member of the family or friend. Volunteers must
check-in before the meet with the volunteer coordinator(s) in order to receive credit for their duty.
Each volunteer must complete his or her entire assigned duty. In some cases, your swimmer will be
finished with the meet before your duties are completed.
You can sign up online. All Volunteer Job Duties Descriptions can be found on the SMST site.
Note: If your swimmer advances to the Meet of Champs (MOC) and the All Star Meet (ASM), you
may be assigned volunteer duties at those meets also.
Incomplete Volunteer requirements
If a family is unable to complete the volunteer requirements as they signed up for, it is the
responsibility of that family to find a substitute for their volunteer position and to notify the
volunteer coordinator(s) of this change prior to the meet. Failure to do so will result in a family not
receiving credit for that volunteer position and a penalty will be assessed.
6 In the case where a true emergency prevents a family for completing their volunteer requirement at
one meet, the Volunteer Coordinator(s) will determine appropriate steps for the makeup of the
requirement.
If a family is signed up for a meet that gets postponed, cancelled or rescheduled, you are expected
to serve at the make-up meet in the same capacity, as originally scheduled. If the family is unable
to do so, it is the responsibility of that family to find a substitute for their volunteer position and to
notify the Volunteer Coordinator(s) of this change prior to the meet. Failure to do so will result in
a family not receiving credit for that volunteer position and a penalty will be assessed.
If all family volunteer commitments have not been fulfilled by the last regular season swim meet,
the family’s swimmer(s) will not be eligible to participate in the Meet of Champions for the current
season.
Incomplete Volunteer Penalties
Parents who do not fulfill their volunteer commitment will be immediately assessed a $50 fee each
time their duty is missed. Failure to pay the fee before the next scheduled practice or within 48
hours of the missed meet will result in your swimmer(s) not being able to participate in the next
meet. Swimmers are also not allowed to practice until fee is paid. Payment can be made by check to SMST or on the SMST site, Merchandise tab (Penalty Fee
Item). Checks can be given to a Board member or dropped in the drop box to the right of the front
door of the Seven Meadows clubhouse.
Families that do not pay their penalty fees will not be eligible to register with SMST the following
swim season.
What Swimmers need to bring to a meet
Team Suit
Swim Cap (optional)
Goggles (2 pairs)
Towel or small outdoor foldable chair for swimmer to sit on in their age group area
Towel to use after swimming
Sunblock
Cards, Games, Coloring Books, etc.
Money for concessions
**Electronics may be brought. However, it is the swimmers SOLE responsibility for the
device, no matter what age the swimmer is. **
Heat Sheets
Heat Sheets are one of the most vital items to a swim meet. It lists event numbers as well as the
number of heats in each event. Each swimmer is listed in the event in which he/she is swimming
and their lane assignment is shown. It is not uncommon to have last minute changes to heat sheets.
Heat sheets can be printed ahead of the meets from home.
7 Meet of Champions and All Star Meet
The Meet of Champions (MOC) is a meet for the top swimmers from each team in our division.
The coaches have to limit the amount of participants. The swimmers who qualify for this meet are
notified soon after the last regular season meet. The top times from all the divisions at all the
MOCs will then qualify them for the ALL STARS Meet.
**In order to be eligible for Meet of Champions, swimmers must attend at least 2 official swim
meets.
End of Season Party and Awards
We will have an End of Season Sailfish Party for the swimmers and their families at the end of the
season. This will also be a time that the coaches will present swimmer Participation Trophies.
Meet of Champs ribbons/ metals and All Star ribbons/ metals will be available at a later date.
Details for the EOS party will be provided as the season progresses.
If you do miss the awards night, please contact the EOS Party coordinator to arrange a mutually
convenient time to pick up your swimmer’s award(s).
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